Woman: Stolen lemur needs special care

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A Wilmer family needs your help tracking down a family pet, and it's a little out of the ordinary; it's a ringtail lemur.

The family said it was taken when their home was burglarized and fears whoever has it won’t know how to take care of it.

Julie Harris has a lot of interesting pets including exotic cats and a monkey, but one cage now sits empty. It is the home of Gizmo the 2-year-old lemur, and Harris said he was taken from her home this weekend.

Harris has been taking care of her mother and noticed she had been burglarized when she came home to feed Gizmo and her other pets.

"Usually, when I walk in the door, he's hollering. I went straight to the kitchen to get his food bowl and get it ready, and I went to hollering 'You ready to eat?' And nothing. So I went to the cage, and there’s nothing. I opened it and went to picking up blankets and toys. I was looking for him, and he's gone,” said Harris.

Harris said electronics like a flat screen TV and XBox were also taken, but the most important is Gizmo.

"He plays with my kids. He’s one of my kids. He’s my baby,” said Harris.

It’s not easy taking care of a lemur, and Harris fears Gizmo’s captors won't know what to do especially when it comes to his diet.

“I’m afraid that he won’t make it not being fed right, not being housed right, not being kept clean," said Harris.

The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office is investigating, and Harris said she hopes someone will come forward with her fuzzy friend.

Harris said she is offering a reward for a safe return. If you have any information, please call the sheriff’s office.